Universities Space Research Association picks Columbia as permanent HQ

The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) will keep its permanent headquarters in Columbia, where it has been located since 1976.
USRA conducts research in astronomy, space biomedicine and space technology for the U.S. Space Program. By 2012, USRA’s original headquarters office in Columbia had grown too small for its rapid employee growth, and therefore the nonprofit organization began considering relocating elsewhere, including Houston, Texas, where it owns a building.
The Howard County Economic Development Authority, Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore and other organizations lobbied USRA to remain in state. Soon USRA will move into a new national headquarters in Columbia Gateway in Howard County, which it just purchased in late June.
USRA employs about 50 people in its Columbia headquarters in addition to 500 people across the U.S.